U.S. patent application number 12/366182 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-13 for multi-component electrical module.
This patent application is currently assigned to ABB OY ET AL.. Invention is credited to Christoph HAEDERLI, Matti LAITINEN, Jukka SIKANEN, Markku TALJA.
Application Number | 20090201659 12/366182 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39564247 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090201659 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAITINEN; Matti ; et
al. |
August 13, 2009 |
MULTI-COMPONENT ELECTRICAL MODULE
Abstract
A mechanical construction of an electrical module includes two
or more electrical components (102-105). Each of the electrical
components has a contact surface (106-109) that is capable of
forming a galvanic contact with an external electrical conductor.
The electrical module includes a holder element (101) that includes
flexible material arranged to flexibly support the electrical
components with respect to each other in such a way that the
contact surfaces of the electrical components are capable of
aligning with external surfaces independently of each other.
Inventors: |
LAITINEN; Matti;
(KIRKKONUMMI, FI) ; TALJA; Markku; (JARVENPAA,
FI) ; SIKANEN; Jukka; (Sulkava, FI) ;
HAEDERLI; Christoph; (ZURICH, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
ABB OY ET AL.
HELSINKI
FI
|
Family ID: |
39564247 |
Appl. No.: |
12/366182 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/807 ;
29/729 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/5313 20150115;
H01L 24/72 20130101; H01L 25/115 20130101; H01L 2924/1301 20130101;
H01L 2924/1305 20130101; H01L 2924/1306 20130101; H01L 2924/01006
20130101; H01L 2924/13055 20130101; H01L 23/5387 20130101; H01L
2924/01005 20130101; H01L 2924/01033 20130101; H01L 2924/1306
20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101; H01L 2924/1301 20130101; H01L
2924/00 20130101; H01L 2924/1305 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/807 ;
29/729 |
International
Class: |
H05K 7/02 20060101
H05K007/02; H05K 13/04 20060101 H05K013/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 7, 2008 |
EP |
08151151.1 |
Claims
1. An electrical module, comprising: two or more electrical
components, each of the electrical components having a first
contact surface capable of forming a galvanic contact with an
external electrical conductor, and a holder element including
flexible material arranged to support the electrical components
with respect to each other in such a way that the first contact
surfaces of the electrical components are capable of aligning with
external surfaces independently of each other, wherein each of the
electrical components has a second contact surface on an opposite
side of that electrical component with respect to the first contact
surface of that electrical component, the second contact surface
being capable of forming a galvanic contact with another external
electrical conductor.
2. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein each of the
electrical components is one of the following: a diode, a
thyristor, a gate turn-off thyristor (GTO), a field effect
transistor (FET), a bipolar transistor, and an insulated gate
bipolar transistor (IGBT).
3. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein each of the
electrical components is one of the following: an antiparallel pair
of a diode and a thyristor, an antiparallel pair of a diode and a
gate turn-off thyristor (GTO), an antiparallel pair of a diode and
a field effect transistor (FET), an antiparallel pair of a diode
and a bipolar transistor, and an antiparallel pair of a diode and
an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
4. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the flexible
material of the holder element contains at least one of the
following: silicone, epoxy, and plastic.
5. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the flexible
material of the holder element contains hot melt adhesive.
6. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the holder
element is made of electrically insulating material.
7. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the holder
element comprises electrically insulating material between a body
of the holder element and the first contact surfaces of the
electrical components.
8. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the
electrical module comprises a control terminal common to the
electrical components, and electrical conductors from the control
terminal to the electrical components are inside the holder
element.
9. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the
electrical module comprises a control terminal common to the
electrical components, and electrical conductors from the control
terminal to the electrical components are on a surface of the
holder element.
10. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the
electrical module comprises a separate control terminal for at
least one of the electrical components, each separate control
terminal being electrically connected to at least one of the
electrical components.
11. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the holder
element comprises a hole.
12. An electrical module according to claim 1, wherein the
electrical module comprises an electrical conductor arranged to
electrically connect an electrical terminal of one electrical
component of the electrical module to an electrical terminal of
another electrical component of the electrical module.
13. An electrical converter device comprising at least one an
electrical module that comprises: two or more electrical
components, each of the electrical components having a first
contact surface capable of forming a galvanic contact with an
external electrical conductor, and a holder element including
flexible material arranged to support the electrical components
with respect to each other in such a way that the first contact
surfaces of the electrical components are capable of aligning with
external surfaces independently of each other, wherein each of the
electrical components has a second contact surface on an opposite
side of that electrical component with respect to the first contact
surface of that electrical component, the second contact surface
being capable of forming a galvanic contact with another external
electrical conductor.
14. A method for assembling an electrical converter device, the
method comprising installing, as an element of the electrical
converter device, at least one electrical module that comprises:
two or more electrical components, each of the electrical
components having a first contact surface capable of forming a
galvanic contact with an external electrical conductor and a second
contact surface on an opposite side of that electrical component
with respect to the first contact surface of that electrical
component, the second contact surface being capable of forming a
galvanic contact with another external electrical conductor, and a
holder element, wherein the holder element includes material that
is, at least during the installation of the electrical module,
flexible and arranged to support the electrical components of the
electrical module with respect to each other in such a way that the
first contact surfaces of the electrical components are capable of
aligning with external surfaces independently of each other.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a mechanical construction of an
electrical module that comprises two or more electrical components.
Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrical converter
device comprising one or more electrical modules and to a method
for assembling an electrical converter device.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An assembly process of an electrical converter device, e.g.
a frequency converter, can be made simpler, faster, and more cost
effective by using electrical modules that contain two or more
electrical components such as, for example, diodes and/or insulated
gate bipolar transistors (IGBT). In an assembly process of an
electrical converter device it is significantly faster, simpler,
and more cost effective to install a single electrical module than
to install a corresponding amount of separate electrical components
such as e.g. diodes and IGBTs.
[0003] Certain electrical components, especially high power
electrical components, are installed in such a way that an
electrical component is pressed against a surface of an electrical
conductor element that forms a galvanic contact with a contact
surface of the electrical component. The said contact surface
represents an electrical terminal of the electrical component, e.g.
a cathode or an anode of a diode, an emitter or a collector of a
bipolar transistor, or a drain or a source of a field effect
transistor. As the output power and thus the current rating of an
electrical converter device increases, parallel connection of the
electrical components becomes usually inevitable. In the situation
in which there are parallel connected electrical components, it is
important that all the electrical components are pressed against an
electrical conductor element in a sufficiently uniform manner with
regard to pressing forces and mutual alignments between contact
surfaces of the electrical components and the surface of the
electrical conductor element. The above-mentioned facts are
important from the viewpoint of balance of electrical current
division between the parallel connected electrical components and
from the view-point of thermal conductivity between the electrical
components and the electrical conductor element. The requirements
related to pressing forces and to mutual alignments between contact
surfaces of electrical components and a surface of an electrical
conductor element complicate the applicability of multi-component
electrical modules and limit the amount of electrical components
that can be integrated into a single electrical module. When using
a multi-component electrical module it is more challenging to
guarantee that all electrical components of the multi-component
electrical module are pressed against an electrical conductor
element in a sufficiently uniform manner than when using separate
electrical components.
SUMMARY
[0004] In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is
provided a new electrical module. The electrical module comprises:
[0005] two or more electrical components, each of the electrical
components having a first contact surface capable of forming a
galvanic contact with an external electrical conductor and a second
contact surface on an opposite side of that electrical component
with respect to the first contact surface of that electrical
component, the second contact surface being capable of forming a
galvanic contact with another external electrical conductor, and
[0006] a holder element including flexible material arranged to
support the electrical components with respect to each other in
such a way that the first contact surfaces of the electrical
components are capable of aligning with external surfaces
independently of each other.
[0007] Each electrical component of the electrical module is able
to align with e.g. a surface of an electrical conductor element
independently of other electrical components. Therefore, it is
easier to guarantee that all the electrical components of the
electrical module are pressed against e.g. the surface of the
electrical conductor element in a sufficiently uniform manner and,
as a consequence, a need for de-rating the electrical components of
the electrical module with respect to rating of corresponding
separate electrical components is usually mitigated.
[0008] In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there
is provided a new electrical converter device. The electrical
converter device comprises at least one an electrical module
according to the invention. The electrical converter device can be,
e.g. an inverter, a rectifier, and/or a frequency converter.
[0009] In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is
provided a new method for assembling an electrical converter
device. The method comprises installing, as an element of the
electrical converter device, at least one electrical module that
comprises: [0010] two or more electrical components, each of the
electrical components having a first contact surface capable of
forming a galvanic contact with an external electrical conductor
and a second contact surface on an opposite side of that electrical
component with respect to the first contact surface of that
electrical component, the second contact surface being capable of
forming a galvanic contact with another external electrical
conductor, and [0011] a holder element,
[0012] wherein the holder element includes material that is, at
least during the installation of the electrical module, flexible
and arranged to support the electrical components of the electrical
module with respect to each other in such a way that the first
contact surfaces of the electrical components are capable of
aligning with external surfaces independently of each other.
[0013] A number of exemplifying embodiments of the invention are
described in accompanied dependent claims.
[0014] Various embodiments of the invention both as to
constructions and to methods of operation, together with additional
objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the
following description of specific exemplifying embodiments when
read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
[0015] The exemplifying embodiments of the invention presented in
this document are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the
applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is
used in this document as an open limitation that does not exclude
the existence of also unrecited features. The features recited in
depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise
explicitly stated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0016] The exemplifying embodiments of the invention and their
advantages are explained in greater detail below in the sense of
examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0017] FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and 1e show an electrical module
according to an embodiment of the invention, a section view of the
electrical module in an exemplifying operating environment, a
circuit diagram that corresponds to FIG. 1b, and an illustration of
installing the electrical module,
[0018] FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c show an electrical module according to
an embodiment of the invention, a section view of the electrical
module in an exemplifying operating environment, and an
exemplifying circuit diagram that corresponds to FIG. 2b,
[0019] FIG. 3 shows an electrical converter device according to an
embodiment of the invention, and
[0020] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method according to an
embodiment of the invention for assembling an electrical converter
device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0021] FIG. 1a shows an electrical module 100 according to an
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1b shows a section view A-A of
the electrical module in an exemplifying situation in which the
electrical module is between electrical conductor elements 127 and
128. The electrical conductor elements 127 and 128 are arranged to
press the electrical module in a direction perpendicular to
surfaces 125 and 126 of the electrical conductor elements. The
electrical module comprises electrical components 102-105. Each of
the electrical components has a first contact surface 106-109 that
is capable of forming a galvanic contact with the electrical
conductor element 127. The electrical module comprises a holder
element 101 including flexible material that is arranged to support
the electrical components with respect to each other in such a way
that the first contact surfaces of the electrical components are
capable of aligning with the surface 125 independently of each
other. The fact that the electrical components 102-105 are
supported in a flexible manner with respect to each other allows a
greater tolerance between the shape of the surface 125 and an ideal
plane. The electrical components have second contact surfaces, e.g.
122 and 123 in FIG. 1b, on opposite sides of the electrical
components with respect to the first contact surfaces. The second
contact surfaces are capable of forming galvanic contacts with the
electrical conductor element 128. The electrical module 100
contains four electrical components 102-105. It should be noted
that in a general case, the number of electrical components of an
electrical module according to this embodiment of the invention can
be any number greater than one.
[0022] An electrical component 102, 103, 104, and/or 105 of the
electrical module can be, for example, a diode, a thyristor, a gate
turn-off thyristor (GTO), a field effect transistor (FET), a
bipolar transistor, or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
The electrical components of the electrical module can be mutually
similar or some electrical components can be different from some
other electrical components.
[0023] An electrical component 102, 103, 104, and/or 105 of the
electrical module can be as well a combination of two or more
different sub-components. For example, an electrical component of
the electrical module can be an antiparallel pair of a diode and a
thyristor, an antiparallel pair of a diode and a gate turn-off
thyristor (GTO), an antiparallel pair of a diode and a field effect
transistor (FET), an antiparallel pair of a diode and a bipolar
transistor, or an antiparallel pair of a diode and an insulated
gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). An electrical component 102, 103,
104, and/or 105 of the electrical module can be as well a
monolithic component that is arranged to realize functionality of
two or more different electrical components, e.g. functionalities
of a diode and an IGBT.
[0024] FIG. 1c shows a circuit diagram that corresponds to FIG. 1b.
The electrical components 102-105 are depicted with ovals in FIG.
1c. The reference numbers in FIG. 1c correspond to same entities as
in FIGS. 1a and 1b. The circuit diagram illustrates how the
electrical components 102-105 are parallel connected between the
electrical conductor elements 127 and 128. Due to the fact that the
holder element 101 is capable of supporting the electrical
components 102-105 in a flexible manner, the electrical components
102-105 are pressed against the surfaces 127 and 128 in a
sufficiently uniform manner. This fact is important from the
viewpoint of balanced division of electrical current i between the
electrical components 102-105 and from the viewpoint of thermal
conductivity between the electrical components and the electrical
conductor elements 127 and 128.
[0025] In an electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention, the holder element 101 is made of flexible material. The
holder element can be made of, for example, silicone, epoxy,
plastic or a suitable composition of two or more of the said
materials. Some examples of suitable silicone materials are SE2003,
QSil573 and AS1420 by ACC Silicones, and SOLARITE SI221FR and
SOLARITE SI222HTC by Solar compounds. Examples of suitable epoxy
materials are 20-3006 and 20-3001 by Epoxies etc, Circalok 6031 A/B
by Lord, and Scotchcast 280 by 3M. The holder element can also be
made of suitable hot melt adhesive. The holder element should
maintain its flexibility at least till the time the electrical
module has been installed into a product, e.g. into a frequency
converter. The material of the holder element 101 is preferably
able to withstand temperatures up to about 175.degree. C.
[0026] FIGS. 1d and 1e show an illustration of installing an
electrical module whose holder element 101 is made of flexible
material. FIG. 1d shows an exemplifying situation in which the
contact surfaces of the electrical components 102 and 103 are not
aligned according to a same plane. The misalignment of the
electrical components may be e.g. a consequence of limited
manufacturing accuracy. FIG. 1e shows a situation that takes place
after the electrical module is pressed between the surfaces 125 and
126 of the electrical conductor elements 127 and 128. The flexible
material of the holder element 101 is elastic in such a way that
each electrical component is able to align with the surfaces 125
and 126 independently of the other electrical components of the
electrical module. In FIG. 1d the misalignment of the electrical
components is exaggerated for illustrative purposes.
[0027] In an electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention, the holder element comprises both rigid material and
flexible material. The flexible material is located between the
electrical components 102-105 and a part of the holder element that
is made of the rigid material. The flexible material provides the
flexible support for the electrical components. The flexible
material can be e.g. silicone, epoxy, plastic, or a suitable
composition of two or more of the said materials. The flexible
material can also contain e.g. suitable hot melt adhesive. The
flexible material should maintain its flexibility at least till the
time the electrical module has been installed into a product, e.g.
into a frequency converter. The flexible material is preferably
able to withstand temperatures up to about 175.degree. C.
[0028] In an electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention, the holder element 101 is made of electrically
insulating material. In this case it can be allowed that the holder
element is in touch with the first and/or second contact surfaces
of the electrical components 102-105.
[0029] In an electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention, the holder element 101 comprises electrically insulating
material 117-120 between a body 144 of the holder element and the
first and second contact surfaces of the electrical components
102-105. In this case it is not necessary that the body of the
holder element is made of electrically insulating material.
Furthermore, in the electrical module shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the
body 144 of the holder element can be made of rigid material if the
electrically insulating material 117-120 is sufficiently flexible
material.
[0030] An electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention comprises a control terminal 116 that is common to the
electrical components 102-105. Electrical conductors 110-115 from
the control terminal to the electrical components can be, for
example, inside the holder element or the electrical conductors can
be on a surface of the holder element.
[0031] In an electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention, the holder element 101 comprises a hole 121. The hole
can be utilized e.g. when installing the electrical module between
the electrical conductor elements 127 and 128. For example, the
electrical conductor element 127 comprises an overhang 129 that
fits into the hole.
[0032] FIG. 2a shows an electrical module 200 according to an
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2b shows a section view A-A of
the electrical module in an exemplifying situation in which the
electrical module is between a support element 228 and a connection
element 227 that comprises electrical conductor plates 234, 235,
and 236. The support element 228 and the connection element 227 are
arranged to press the electrical module in a direction
perpendicular to a surface 225. The electrical module comprises
electrical components 202 and 203. The electrical component 202 has
a contact surface 206 that is capable of forming a galvanic contact
with the electrical conductor plate 234. The electrical component
203 has a contact surface 207 that is capable of forming a galvanic
contact with the electrical conductor plate 235. The electrical
module comprises an electrical conductor plate 240 that has a
contact surface 230 capable of forming a galvanic contact with the
electrical conductor plate 236. The electrical module comprises an
electrical conductor 233 that is arranged to connect one terminal
of the electrical component 202 to the contact surface 230 and one
terminal of the electrical component 203 to the contact surface
230. In this exemplifying embodiment of the invention the
electrical components 202 and 203 are antiparallel pairs of a diode
and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). FIG. 2c shows a
circuit diagram that corresponds to FIGS. 2a and 2b. The reference
numbers in FIG. 2c correspond to same entities as in FIGS. 2a and
2b. The electrical module comprises control terminals 231 and 232
that are connected to the gates of the electrical components 202
and 203, respectively. The electrical module can constitute, for
example, an output phase of an inverter bridge.
[0033] The electrical module 200 comprises a holder element 201
that includes flexible material arranged to flexibly support the
electrical components 202 and 203 and the electrical conductor
plate 240 with respect to each other in such a way that the contact
surfaces 206 and 207 of the electrical components and the contact
surface 230 of the electrical conductor plate 240 are capable of
aligning with surfaces of the electrical conductor plates 234, 235,
236 independently of each others. FIG. 2b illustrates a situation
in which the surfaces of the electrical conductor plates 234, 235,
236 are not in a same plane and, as a consequence, the electrical
components 202 and 203 and the electrical conductor plate 240 are
individually aligned with the surfaces of the electrical conductor
plates 234, 235, 236. In FIG. 2b, the deviation of the surfaces of
the electrical conductor plates 234, 235, 236 from the same plane
is exaggerated for illustrative purposes.
[0034] In an electrical module according to an embodiment of the
invention the holder element 201 is provided with grooves 260 or
fins that are arranged to increase creeping distances between the
electrical components 202 and 203 and/or between the electrical
components and the electrical conductor plate 240. It is also
possible that physical dimensions of the holder element 201 are
selected in such a way that sufficient creeping distances are
obtained.
[0035] An electrical converter device according to an embodiment of
the invention comprises at least one an electrical module according
to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 shows an electrical
converter device according to an embodiment of the invention. The
electrical converter device comprises an electrical terminal 351
for connecting the electrical converter device to an alternating
voltage network (not shown) and an electrical terminal 352 for
connecting the electrical converter device to a load (not shown).
The electrical converter device comprises a converter unit 353 that
can be e.g. a rectifier that is arranged to transfer energy from an
alternating voltage network to an intermediate circuit 366 of the
electrical converter device. The converter unit 353 can be as well
a device that is capable of transferring energy, not only from the
alternating voltage network to the intermediate circuit 366, but
also from the intermediate circuit back to the alternating voltage
network.
[0036] The electrical converter device comprises an inverter bridge
354 that is able to transfer energy from the intermediate circuit
366 to the load and also to transfer energy from the load to the
intermediate circuit. The main circuit of the inverter bridge
comprises electrical conductor elements 355 and 356 that are
connected to the intermediate circuit, and electrical conductor
elements 357, 358, and 359 that are connected to different phases
of the electrical terminal 352. The main circuit of the inverter
bridge comprises electrical modules 360-365 that are located
between the electrical conductor elements as shown in FIG. 10. Each
of the electrical modules 360-365 comprises: [0037] two or more
electrical components, each of the electrical components having
contact surfaces that are capable of forming galvanic contacts with
electrical conductor elements between which the electrical module
in question is located, and [0038] a holder element including
flexible material arranged to support the electrical components
with respect to each other in such a way that the electrical
components are capable of aligning, independently of each other,
with the electrical conductor elements between which the electrical
module in question is located.
[0039] The electrical modules 360-365 can be, for example,
according to what is described in FIGS. 1a and 1b and in the text
passages related to FIGS. 1a and 1b. For example, the electrical
module 360 may correspond to the electrical module depicted in
FIGS. 1a and 1b, and the electrical conductor elements 355 and 357
may correspond to the electrical conductor elements 127 and 128
depicted in FIG. 1b.
[0040] The electrical converter device shown in FIG. 3 is a
frequency converter. An electrical converter device according to an
embodiment of the invention can be as well, for example, a mere
inverter or a mere rectifier.
[0041] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method according to an
embodiment of the invention for assembling an electrical converter
device. One of the method phases for assembling the electrical
converter device comprises installing 401, as an element of the
electrical converter device, at least one electrical module (e.g.
100 in FIG. 1a) that comprises: [0042] two or more electrical
components (e.g. 102-105 in FIGS. 1a and 1b), each of the
electrical components having a first contact surface (e.g. 106-109
in FIG. 1a) that is capable of forming a galvanic contact with an
external electrical conductor (e.g. 127 in FIG. 1b), and [0043] a
holder element (e.g. 101 in FIGS. 1a and 1b),
[0044] wherein the holder element includes material that is, at
least during the installation of the electrical module, flexible
and arranged to support the electrical components of the electrical
module with respect to each other in such a way that the first
contact surfaces of the electrical components are capable of
aligning with external surfaces independently of each other.
[0045] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention,
each of the electrical components of the electrical module has a
second contact surface (e.g. 122 and 123 in FIG. 1a) on an opposite
side of that electrical component with respect to the first contact
surface of that electrical component, the second contact surface
being capable of forming a galvanic contact with another external
electrical conductor.
[0046] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention,
each of the electrical components of the electrical module is one
of the following: a diode, a thyristor, a gate turn-off thyristor
(GTO), a field effect transistor (FET), a bipolar transistor, and
an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
[0047] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention,
each of the electrical components of the electrical module is one
of the following: an antiparallel pair of a diode and a thyristor,
an antiparallel pair of a diode and a gate turn-off thyristor
(GTO), an antiparallel pair of a diode and a field effect
transistor (FET), an anti-parallel pair of a diode and a bipolar
transistor, and an antiparallel pair of a diode and an insulated
gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
[0048] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, one
of the following is used as the flexible material of the holder
element: silicone, epoxy, and plastic.
[0049] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, hot
melt adhesive is used as the flexible material of the holder
element.
[0050] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, the
holder element is made of electrically insulating material.
[0051] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, the
holder element comprises electrically insulating material (e.g.
117-120 in FIG. 1a) between a body (e.g. 144 in FIG. 1a) of the
holder element and the first and second contact surfaces of the
electrical components.
[0052] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, the
electrical module comprises a control terminal (e.g. 116 in FIG.
1a) that is common to the electrical components of the electrical
module. Electrical conductors (e.g. 110-115 in FIG. 1a) from the
control terminal to the electrical components can be, for example,
inside or on a surface of the holder element.
[0053] In a method according to an embodiment of the invention the
holder element comprises a hole (e.g. 121 in FIG. 1a) that makes
the installation of the electrical module easier.
[0054] While there have been shown and described and pointed out
fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions
and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the
devices and methods described may be made by those skilled in the
art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For
example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those
elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same
function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results
are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be
recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps
shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or
embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other
disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general
matter of design choice. The specific examples provided in the
description given above should not be construed as limiting.
Therefore, the invention is not limited merely to the embodiments
described above, many variants being possible without departing
from the scope of the inventive idea defined in the independent
claims.
* * * * *